Anxiety and Reporting

I love reporting. It's my life. I love talking to people and getting to hear their stories and their viewpoints- I love compiling it all together in an article at the end. I love seeing my work in print- I love getting feedback.

However, even now, going into my 6th year of full-time reporting, I get really bad anxiety sometimes when I try to interview people. It used to be from calling interview subjects on the phone- working at LoudounExtra.com pretty much kicked that out of me, but I still get nervous sometimes.

Currently, I'm having huge "interview block" with a video I'm trying to make for the Youth Vote '08 Blog. I just need to walk up to people and ask them questions about their political views while filming it- it's not like I haven't done it before. But for some reason, today- I can't. I've just been inwardly freaking out- I can't even talk to my friends about it for some reason.

I think maybe it's because I'm a bit unsure on the question I'm supposed to be asking people. So I don't know if it's that or past problems, but I'm just freezing up right now.

It's not fun- this feeling. It's better than it used to be. Like, sophomore year, for some reason, I didn't have any trouble with this- my first news story ever involved me knocking on people's doors and talking to them about their concerns about the noise the marching band was making in the morning. But it grew and grew- Senior year, there were times that I went into hysterical crying fits at the thought of calling someone and interviewing them over the phone.

I don't know where it comes from- I guess I worry that I won't do well, or that I'll mess up- I'll get the wrong answers for my story or they'll think I'm an idiot. It doesn't make sense.

I know I'm not the only one though who deals with this- reporters have to go up and talk to random strangers all the time- much more than the average person. I wonder how many professional journalists now have anxiety over interviewing.

Since this is what I'm planning to do the rest of my life, I'm going to have to figure it out. -sigh-

Mrewh. Going to hang out with Aram before my next class in an effort to make me feel better.


-Rachael